Restraining blanket



Nov. 8, 1955 2,722,694

J. BRYA N T RESTRAINING BLANKET Filed Sept. 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l 0; 0 0 O O Q Q 0 O 0 nU .j i

IN V EN TOR.

Nov. 8, 1955 J. BRYANT 2,722,694

RESTRAINING BLANKET Filed Sept. 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

BY Jay/Z6 5yd/af United States Patent-O RESTRAINING BLANKET Jayne Bryant, Chicago, lll.

Application September 17, 1952, Serial No. 310,089

1 Claim. (Cl. 5-336) The invention relates to restraining blankets and has more particular reference to an improved restraining blanket or sheet constructed of materials of various strengths and dimensions and designed for attachment to the bed or other sleeping accommodations of violent or unruly patients.

A general object of the invention resides in the provision of a restraining blanket or sheet having a neck opening and having other zippered openings in associated relation therewith for accommodating patients of hospitals, asylums, rest homes and the like, who are inclined to become unruly or violent and who must be handled in a manner to prevent self exposure or self injury and without substantial interference with their comfort and Well being.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a blanket of the type and character described which will incorporate improved features for restraining the patient, for servicing the patients personal requirements, for ventilation and for securely attaching the blanket to the bed or other sleeping accommodation.

Another object is to provide a restraining blanket having a circular neck opening at the head end of the blanket and having a Zippered opening extending from said neck opening to the foot end of the blanket, and wherein when said zippered opening is closed its slide is located out of reach of the patient.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a restraining blanket wherein the neck opening has associated therewith a number of Zippered slits or openings including one extending longitudinally of the blanket and which when open separates the blanket substantially into two halves for convenience in placing a patient within the blanket.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claim appended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure l is a plan View of the restraining blanket of my invention clearly illustrating the several improved features thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view of the neck opening and releasable locking means for the slide of the main longitudinal slit;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a modified form of restraining blanket embodying the improved features of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view illustraing the manner of reinforcing the blanket around the edges; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating the construction of the tapes for locking the zippers in closed position.

Referring in particular to Figure 1 of the drawings, the blanket is of general rectangular form, having notched ice corners 11 and metal bound eyelets 12 along all four sides of the blanket with the exception of the cut-out corners. The corners are cut away to accommodate the posts of the bed and the eyelets, which are spaced approximately three inches apart, receive either hooks or laces for securely attaching the blanket to the framework of the bed.

At or near one end of the blanket there is located a neck opening indicated by numeral 14 and having a diameter of approximately six or seven inches. The opening is preferably provided with a permanent colla1 15 consisting of layers of cotton cloth or a ring of sponge rubber. The collar should be removable for cleaning and repair and for this purpose the same may incorporate metal snap fasteners (not shown) or other similar securing means by which the neck band is detachably held to the blanket. From the neck opening and extending close to the opposite end of the blanket the same is provided with a central longitudinal slit 16. The slit has a reinforced terminal end 17 and the respective edges formed thereby retain coacting interlocking means such as a metal zipper of the type in common use at the present time. Such a fastener includes the interlocking elements 18 and 19 and a slide 2t) which is adapted to travel the length of the slit for opening or closing the same. When the slit is open the patient can be placed on the bed and within the blanket and the collar 15 is thereupon adjusted so as to accommodate the neck of the patient.

With the patient on the bed and Within the restraining blanket, as herein described, the slit 16 can then be closed, which requires actuation of the slide 20 in a direction toward the neck opening. Since it may be possible for the patient to work the slide 20 from inside the blanket, owing to the fact that the slide is located adjacent the neck opening, the invention contemplates the provision of laces for releasably locking the slide 2t) in closed position. The said laces, indicated by numeral 21, Figure 2, are threaded through an opening in slide 20 and then through the metal-bound openings 22 formed in the blanket. The said openings 22 are located on respective sides of the central slit 16 for a distance of approximately twelve inches from the neck opening. The laces at the bottom, that is, at the terminal of opening 22, are tied as at 23 by the attendant and as a result of the manner of releasably securing slide 20 the said slide can not be worked from inside the blanket and requires a definite act on the part of the attendant to open the main center slit of the blanket.

The blanket is also provided with a pair of slit openings 24 and 25, approximately twenty inches in length, and located on respective sides of slit 16. As shown in the drawings, slit24 is located on the left side with slit 25 on the right side, and it will also be observed that each auxiliary opening is equipped with coacting interlocking elements similar in all respects to that as described in connection with slit 16. A slide 26 is associated with the auxiliary slit 24, whereas, the slide 27 is associated with the auxiliary slit 25. By actuation of the respective slides the blanket can be opened or closed at the sides thereof for servicing the patients personal requirements.

Openings for ventilation are also located in the present blanket'. Openings y30 and 31 in the form of two parallel rows are located on respective sides of the center slit 16 and between the same and its adjacent side slit, either 24 or 25. Additional longitudinal rows of Ventilating openings 32 and 33 are located relatively adjacent each side edge of the blanket'. The openings 30, 31, 32 and 33 are each reinforced by a metal eyelet and in a regulation size blanket the openings will preferably have a diameter of from one-half inch to one inch. The location of the Ventilating openings in longitudinal rows is merely illustrative and it will be understood that they can also be disposed in parallel rows transversely of the blanket or even diagonally since it is only necessary that the openings be reasonably well distributed over the area of the blanket and that a sufficient number of openings be provided to allow for adequate ventilation.

The blanket shown in Figures 3 and 4 and indicated by numeral 50 is generally rectangular in shape, having notched corners 51 and metal bound eyelets 52 along all four sides of the blanket for receiving hooks or laces for securely attaching the blanket to the framework of the bed. As illustrated in Figure 4 the blanket may be strengthened along all four edges by folding the material upon itself several times and securing the thicknesses together by stitching 53. Also along the edge of the blanket the folded material may be additionally reinforced by the cording 54, the same being retained in place by stitching 55. It will be observed that the eyelet 52 is located in the reinforced edge of the blanket relatively adjacent the cording 54, and it has been found that the structure as described adequately strengthens the blanket around the eyelets to resist the strain imposed thereon by lacing 56 which secures the restraining blanket to the bed. Instead of using several thicknesses of the blanket it is possible to substitute therefor a conventional reinforcing tape which is secured to the underside of the blanket along the edges thereof by stitching such as 53 and 55.

The neck opening 57 is located adjacent the head end of the blanket and in this modification said neck opening does not include a detachable collar. The opening is merely reinforced by stitching such as 53. From the neck opening and extending to the foot of the blanket the same is provided with a central longitudinal slit 60. When the slit is open the blanket is longitudinally divided from the neck down, forming two half sections and which can be laid open to facilitate the placing of a patient on the bed and within the restraining blanket. The central longitudinal slit 60 is adapted to be closed by a zipper so that the respective edges of the slit are provided with the interlocking elements 61 and 62 which are actuated into opening and closing relation by the slide 63. The zipper arrangement starts at the neck opening and the slide must be moved toward the foot of the blanket for closing the central slit 60. Thus when the slit is closed the slide 63 is located at the foot of the blanket and out of reach of the patient.

The present blanket is provided with a pair of arm openings formed by the slits 64 and 65 located on the respective sides of the neck opening 57 and being diagonally arranged to best accommodate the arms of the patient. Each of said openings 64 and 65 are zippered and are actuated by slides 66 and 67 respectively. When the slits 64 and 65 are opened by actuation of the slides the patient can extend his arms outside of the blanket. As a result it is convenient to take the pulse of the patient and to also give injections should this be necessary. Additional slits extending longitudinally of the blanket are provided for servicing the patients personal requirements. The slit 6S is located on the left side of the center slit 60, whereas slit 70 is located on the right side. It will be observed that each of these auxiliary openings is likewise equipped with coacting interlocking elements of the zipper type and which are respectively actuated by slides 71 and 72.

Openings for ventilation are also located on respective sides of the center slit 60 and between the same and the auxiliary slits 63 and 70. The Ventilating openings indicated by numerals 73 and 74 may be arranged in any desired pattern such as indicated in Figure 3, wherein the openings are disposed in rows parallel to the arm slits 64 and 65. If desired, an additional servicing opening such as 75 may be located in the blanket for receiving a catheter or the like.

The tabs 76 are stitched to the present restraining blanket at the slide end of the zippered openings 64, 65, 68 and 70. The tabs for one edge are free of the blanket to provide a ap 77 which is disposed adjacent the end of the zippered opening to coact with the respective slide for the opening. Each Hap 77 has an eyelet opening 78 and it will be observed from Figure 5 that each slide is likewise apertured at its terminal end. When the particular zippered opening is closed by its slide it is possible to lock the slide to its respective ap and thus lock the zipper structure, preventing intentional opening of the same by the patient.

The present blanket can be made of canvass to secure maximum strength as regards the material of the blanket, or the same may be made of muslin or similar cloth. The size, dimensions and proportions are subject to change, depending on the size and type of bed to which the blanket is to be secured. Also one or more service openings can be formed in the blanket to accommodate a tube or the like for servicing the patient but any such additional openings do not add to nor detract from the basic invention.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 235,493, tiled July 6, 1951, now abandoned, and entitled Restraining Blanket.

The invention is not to be limited to nor by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings, as various other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claim.

What is claimed is:

In a restraining blanket of the character described, in combination, a blanket for covering a bed to restrain a patient occupying the bed, said blanket having at least two edges strengthened and reinforced by having several folds of the blanket material stitched together, a plurality of metal reinforced openings located in spaced relation in the strengthened edges, said blanket having a substantially circular neck opening at one end and a main longitudinal slit extending from the neck opening to the foot end of the blanket, whereby said blanket is separated substantially into two halves when the main slit is opened, a ring of sponge rubber in associated relation with the neck opening, said blanket also having two auxiliary slits on each side of the main slit, one extending diagonally of the blanket adjacent the neck opening for accommodating the arms of the patient, and the other slit extending longitudinally of the blanket substantially parallel to the main slit for servicing the patient, coacting interlocking elements associated with each slit and including a slide for each slit adapted to travel the length of its respective slit for closing and opening the same, said slide for the main slit being arranged to close when moved from the neck opening toward the foot end of the blanket, whereby said slide is located at the foot end of the blanket when said main slit is closed, and tabs secured to the blanket adjacent the bottom end of the auxiliary slits for fastening the slide thereto so as to lock the slide in closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,859,820 Eaker May 24, 1932 1,929,263 Sork Oct. 3, 1933 2,060,706 Vinal Nov. 10, 1936 2,234,546 Basch Mar. 11, 1941 2,374,299 OHara Apr. 24, 1945 2,469,700 Petrucelli May 10, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 61,961 Norway Jan. 29, 1940 

